When There's Nothing Left, You Will Save Me
by Cap'n BlackRose
Summary: MENTIONS OF RAPE AND SUICIDE harry's relatives have finally gone to all known levels of abuse. in the middle of the night, during an act of violence, a rescuer appears. ::not slash, and it is not a snape story!::
1. Every Day

Disclaimer: I own nothing!!! Do you think I would be here writing fics if I had these characters as my own?? Hell no!! I would be writing the 6th book!!

**_When there's nothing left, you will save me_**

Every day

Losing pieces of myself

Emptiness spreading

Darkness not forgiving

My insides desecrating

As shadows of loneliness

Swarm around

Darkness bound

Death peering through dead eyes

Every day

I get a little closer

It gets a little easier

To turn my anger to hate

And abandon my mental state

Let the pain bleed through my soul

As the seeds of life

Fall into the black abyss

Never to regenerate

Every day

I realize more and more

All which I held so close

The song

The night

The seduction

Are temporary distractions

Dismal unsatisfactions

Programmed reactions

Then one day

The day you finally find me

It will be true irony

That all you see

Is a rotting corpse

Of what used to be

By: Anonymous

Harry Potter lay broken and on death's door step in his 'room', the small cupboard under the stairs. It really was a sad sight to look upon him in that moment. A small body that looked more like it should belong to an eleven year old and not a sixteen, soon to be seventeen year old boy, was crisscrossed by unsightly scars, old and new blood, and dark welling bruises. All in all, he was a pitiful sight to behold that would have even moved Voldemort's cold non-existent heart.

For what seemed like moments to Harry, which was actually days, he lay passed out and finally shifted himself and pulled a small black suede book and gold quill off the shelf of the cupboard. The small book and quill were gifts that he had been given for Christmas last year. The book was a journal that would never run out of pages to write in, which was a good thing, because Harry wrote a good ten pages a day. The quill didn't need ink, which was a good thing to, because where and how would he get ink in his condition?

As Harry started to write, he poured himself into the pages, letting out everything. He had discovered in History of Magic, quite by accident, that he could draw as good as a camera could take a picture. So, he drew pictures sometimes of what he thought heaven looked like, he drew pictures of his friends and their families, he drew pictures of Sirius and Cedric, the last moments he saw Sirius and Cedric were drawn several times throughout the book, his parents occurred several times also. And lastly, for some odd reason he drew pictures of when the Dursley's violated him in every way and form. These were distributed throughout his book, along with his words as he told of his life with the Dursley's and at Hogwarts and his whole life. At the moment, he was writing about Vernon's newest act of rape, while his cousin Dudley also beat him. Harry slowly placed his book back in it's spot then managed to coax himself to sleep, only to be met with the nightmare of the final battle flashing through his mind.

**Dream**

**Harry stared in shock as Tonks' body fell to the ground, a death eater having just shot her down with the killing curse. As he stared into her dead eyes, something in him snapped and a great power burst from his body, knocking all deatheaters out and leaving the path to Voldemort open. As Harry walked slowly up to Voldemort, anger in every line of him, Voldemort laughed coldly and fired the killing curse at him. Harry didn't even flinch as he absorbed the curse, and sent it rebounding back to Voldemort's surprised face, all without a wand. The curse struck home and a wispy soul was just about to escape when he fired the killing curse himself towards the evil soul. With a scream, it disappeared and Harry collapsed on the ground, sobs shaking his small form as he finally slumped to the ground in a faint as Dumbledore rushed to his side.**

**End dream**

Harry jerked awake with a scream and immediately clapped his hand over his mouth, in fear of waking the Dursleys. It was in vain, because lumbering down the stairs, he heard his uncle. 'Great...' was all Harry thought when he was dragged out by his hair, which had grown down to his back in the month that he had been there. Obviously magic had something to do with it, because it always grew back when it was cut.

"So boy...determined to not let any of us sleep eh?" Harry's uncle hissed, spit dripping down his face.

'Great...and so will end the great and marvelous 'boy-who-lived', at the hands of his uncle for waking him up...' Harry thought with great sarcasm. Harry had learned by now not saying anything usually made his uncle leave him alone faster. 'Lookie here Voldie...' he thought with great sarcasm and ironic humor, 'a mere muggle, is able to do the one thing you longed to do for years...break me and slowly kill me...aren't you jealous from your view point in hell?' he thought with a mental laugh.

"Gonna play this way huh? I'll make you scream...I'll give you something to scream for!!!" his uncle all but yelled as he took him to the hall and ripped Harry's clothes off as he closed his eyes to wait for the inevitable.

Thirty minuets later, Vernon was about to reach his orgasm when a shock wave ran through the house, and a powerful force of magic ran through the house. Vernon looked up immediately. "Freak...have your kind _finally_ decided to come get you?" he hissed in Harry's face. Harry hardly heard him. Vernon was about to say something else, when a voice, powerful and terrible in it's anger roared, sounding much like a lion.

"You dare to harm my son?!" an angered, no enraged voice yelled, shaking the entire house in it's power.

Vernon made a sound that sounded incredibly like a mouse being stepped on and fell backward in a dead faint.

"Harry..." a gentle voice, said as someone kneeled next to him. Harry's eyes, about to fall shut into eternal sleep looked at the man with dimmed eyes full of curiosity. "Harry!!" he said, with panic gracing his features that looked so much like Harry's and James'. "Hold on my son...I'm taking you back...damned be the prophesy!!" the voice urgently said. "I never should have let you and James go..." he whispered as he gathered Harry in his arms, and walked to the cupboard and got his school trunk and anything else that looked like Harry's, especially the journal.

Harry opened his eyes long enough to see his rescuer. Over bright dark brown almost black eyes stared down at him out of a strong chiseled and handsome face. Harry's eyes grew huge as he fainted into the strong arms of his rescuer, Godric Gryffindor, the man who had just called him his _son_.

**_A/N:_** ooooo!!!!!!!!!!!! Isn't this going to be interesting??? He he...I've read the going back in time ones, and this just popped into my mind...he he...is it original?? If I unwittingly stole the idea from someone, then I'm terribly sorry...I thought it was new and unused, due to the fact that I've NEVER seen one like this...he he...review please!! This is my first shot at a Harry Potter fic...see ya next time!!


	2. Hesitant HEart

**_DISCLAIMER:_** I own nothing!!!! And it looks like it is going to stay that way for a LONG time!!

**_When there's nothing left, you will save me_**

Through my darkest moments I depend on myself

To find the light

Through the tears

I depend on myself

To take away their sting

Through the years

I've only had me

And life goes on

After living for another

I started living for myself

After counting on another

I learned to count on myself

After believing in another

I finally believed in myself

I faced my greatest fear

And silently walked alone

Rediscovered who I am

Becoming stronger for it

I'm prepared for new challenges

And new fears

The possibility of another

Entering my darkness

Consuming my thoughts

Learning my rhymes

Singing my songs

And finding my heart

Is more frightening

Than I ever imagined

Leaving me to wonder

If I can risk it

By: Anonymous

Harry stirred slowly and opened his eyes slowly, expecting to come out of his abyss of darkness to find pain, hunger, cold, and more abuse. He was therefore surprised, when he woke in a warm bed, his injuries healed, and all with the smell of food next to him on a small table. With wide and alert eyes he scanned the room slowly, looking for a trap when he finally got to the door, and there was a man that was hidden in the shadows, propped up against the doorframe. Harry's first reaction was fear and he immediately, upon sight of this stranger, curled into a ball, representing as small as form as possible to attack. 'Great...some god out there, is probably finding this funny in a sickening way...' Harry thought miserably. Just as that thought went from his mind, he felt a light touch on his shoulder. As soon as the foreign touch was on him, he stopped moving, trembling inside.

Godric had opened the door to find his son awake in the bed, and looking with surprise at himself, the food, and the room. Then he watched as Harry looked slowly around the room. His emerald eye's scanning the shadows of the room for anything. When those eyes reached Godric, the owner immediately curled into a defensive ball. Brows furrowed with concern and a bit of anger for whoever did this to his son, he moved forward into the room and lightly placed a caring hand on the boy's frail shoulder. The reaction was immediate, and Harry all but stopped breathing. 'What did they do to him?!' Godric thought as he stared with anger and sadness. "What have they done to you my son?" he whispered softly. He felt Harry squirming under him and lifted his hand off the boy and watched what he was doing.

When Harry heard the soft asked question he got real fidgety at the concern in the voice. 'Should I trust him?' that was at the moment drawing a blank in his mind as he tried to get away from the feelings haunting him as he burrowed deeper into the bed. "They did what not even a dark wizard would do and leave me alive." Harry mumbled into the bedding.

Godric caught it though, and was immediately angered at the thought of how far the muggles went. "Muggles..." he growled.

Harry heard the growled word and sat up blinking as he looked up into the angry face of Godric Gryffindor, a scary thing to look at really. "Not just the muggles..." Harry whispered, catching the man's attention with his soft-spoken words. "The wizarding world to...I was their everything...their hope...and their scapegoat..." he spat bitterly as he remembered how they had tried to blame him for Cedric's death and the death of so many more.

"What happened?" Godric asked, sensing that if his son talked about it, it would help him greatly.

"I don't want to talk of it...not now at least..." Harry said as he starred into a different direction. Then he seemed to remember something and turned to the founder of Hogwarts with questioning eyes. "Where am I?!"

With a smile Godric told him, "Gryffindor manor, England, early 1600's...why?" he asked with a smile as he looked upon Harry's shocked face.

**_a/n:_** I have no idea if that is the right date...if not...oh well...

Harry's mind was refusing to wrap a hold around that information. He was starring in shock at Gryffindor's face, his eyes boggled out and jaw slack. "How in hell or earth, did I get..._here_?!" he whispered looking up at the founder.

Frowning at his language, he non-the-less answered. "I brought you here...I was observing you and decided...to...screw...the prophesy and bring you back home..." Godric said.

"The prophesy has been full filled...I killed Voldemort...there was no need for me to stay there any longer...except for them to hero worship me..." he spat in disgust at the thought.

With a slight smile, he thoughtfully said, "I was wondering what happened when my seeing stone went black...I was worried..." he said with a frown. "But you're not needed anymore...and I'm not sure if you've caught on by now...but...you're my son...." He said softly, this probably being the first time in a while he had felt unsure of himself.

Harry stared in shock yet again. He had suspected it, but it was different having it admitted to his face. "Why...how...James..." was all Harry managed to get out that was coherent.

With a sigh, Godric launched into his explanation. "Well first-off, James was my brother. A prophesy was found stating my first son was to be brought to the future, and was going to be the hope of the wizarding world under the name Potter. Well it was decided, that being as I am a founder of Hogwarts, that I would be recognized and missed from history. So, we decided we would send my brother James, who looks incredibly like me-could pass as twins actually- with you as his son when he 'married' in the future. Then a charm would happen that would make you the child born. Well, all was going well and then James was killed with his wife. The prophecy had said nothing of that and I was forced to watch my brother be killed. I'm sure you know the rest from there?" he queried after his explanation.

With a numb nod, Harry's mind was a storm of thoughts and feelings. 'I have a father.' Was the main thought.

Godric looked in concern at his son and watched as hope, disbelief, and something else flitted across his face. 'Oh...here goes nothing...' he thought before he took a plunge into unknown waters. "Do you want me as a father? Or do you want to go back?" he asked quietly.

Harry stared as his mind still worked. He sat what felt like hours to him, when in reality it was about five minuets. 'Do I?' was his main thought. 'Do I want to let someone in? In my so securely built walls?'

As Harry's mind was working this out and deciding on an answer, Godric's heart plummeted. With a difficult smile to Harry's unseeing eyes, he got up and started to leave. When he was at the door, he felt his eyes burn and tears full of disappointment well up. "Well..." he managed to choke out, wanting his long lost son to stay. "I'll...just...go get your mode of...transport ready to...leave..." he got out in a strangled voice as he quickly fumbled with the doorknob with numb fingers.

Harry looked in alarm at the door that was about to close on his chance forever. Without a second thought he tried to get up and run to the door. But as soon as he was up, he crashed into a table and sent it to the floor, the pottery on it crashing to the floor, and to be showered with chunks of porcelain, he immediately cried out as a particularly large and jagged piece cut him across the face. It only took a second and he started sobbing at his lost chance as blood ran freely from his face.

Godric had run a good length down the hall, when he heard the crash and yell. Turning back he dashed back into the room to find Harry sprawled on the floor surrounded by broken porcelain and a large gash across his face, all the while sobbing his heart out. With care and love he scooped Harry from the mess and cast a healing charm upon Harry, then a cleaning charm on the broken pots and plates. With that, he tried to place Harry on the bed to leave but he refused to be put down. With a sigh he sat on the bed and allowed his son to cling to him. "Harry...I really must be going to get your...transport...arranged." He said as he looked at the small and underfed seventeen-year old that looked to be eleven.

"I don't wanna go...I want to stay here...I'm willing to try..." Harry managed to whisper out from his sobs. "Please...don't make me go back to the Dursleys...please..." this last part came out a broken whisper as he moved closer to Godric...no...his father.

With a warm smile, Godric started to gently smooth Harry's hair and whispered, "Take all the time you need...you can stay as long as you want...and I will make sure nothing happens to you anymore..." he whispered to the soon-to-be asleep teen.

"Thank-you...dad..." was whispered as he fell into a light slumber, his father beside him, comforting him.

**_A/N:_** omg...wasn't that a sweet little end to this chappy?? How sweet!! - but yeah...next chappy is probably going to be the last...this is just intended to be a short sweet, slightly angsty fic about Harry finding happiness...working so far?? Hehe!! Hope you enjoyed!! And I know, that they were both like...REALLY occ...but ya know, Harry has drilled it into his head, that submission means he's gonna be left alone. And that's all he really wants!! And Godric, was just a parent who wanted their baby back. Make sense?? Hope so...but yeah, anyway...until next time!! review please!!!!


	3. Fairy Tales in my Heart

**_DISCLAIM ER:_** I own nothing I tell you! nothing! So leave me alone! sticks out tongue

When I was young

Fairy tales filled my mind

I dreamt of my prince

Coming to take me away

And if I wished on a star

My dreams would come true

And if my heart cried out

Love would save me

But by growing up

Every tale told became cursed

There was no prince

Stars denied my wishes

And dreams that I dared to dream

Never did come true

Hopes faded

As I became jaded

Life grew dark

Life was killing the dream

But I needed to somehow keep those precious tales alive

With each shattered dream I grew stronger

Finding myself returning to those tales

Believing what my heart always knew

That someday my prince would come

And someday a wish upon a star

Would come true

It wasn't until I heard those voices again

Of love and hope

Snow White and Cinderella

Singing to me familiar songs

Where I could begin to dream again

And live again

Hope was alive

Because of those stories

If your told something enough times

You'll start to believe

And I did with all my heart

And still do today

Even though everyone tells me

"That only happens in fairy tales"

the little innocent girl within

refuses to let those tales go

By: Anonymous

Harry woke the next morning and rolled over to be met with a large warm and very solid object. With a whimper, he started to move away out of instinct. 'God no…it was a dream…I'm back with Vernon…he just fell asleep after he…after he…he…' as soon as he got that far, he could manage no more and let out a dry broken sob. The now identified as a person heard this, they started to wake and rolled over, giving a sleepy yawn. With another whimper Harry tried to burrow into the bed.

Godric was sleeping quite well, when he heard a sound. When he thought about it, it sounded like Harry. But like he was trying not to cry. With a yawn, he started to roll over to check on him and heard another whimper. Concerned now he looked at Harry who was trying to escape into the covers. 'He must think it was a dream or something…or that I'm his uncle…' he thought with shock as he stared at the small trembling lump under the covers. Then another thought hit him. 'How long was he violated like that, to have these reactions rammed into him like this!' was his horrified thought as he moved to the task of calming his son down. "Harry…" he whispered as he touched his shoulder. A whimper was the reaction to this. Trying again like this for the next five minuets finally worked and he managed to coax him out of the bedding.

Harry, realized what he had been doing, and blushed a subtle pink. "Sorry…" he muttered with embarrassment in his voice. "Habit…" he offered to the man.

With a frown at the last explanation, Godric asked a question that would prove how much Harry wanted to try. "What did they do to you?" he asked softly making Harry look at him.

With wild eyes Harry tried to get away, shaking his head. "I'm not ready to say anything!" he hissed as he finally rolled off the bed and tried to get up to run out of the room. But as soon as he tried to get up, the same thing as before happened. He fell. "You don't want to know!" he said as he tried to get away by crawling.

With pitying eyes, Godric got up and lifted his featherweight son off the floor and on the bed. Looking him in the eyes on his level, he whispered comfortingly, "It'll help…it'll help beyond your imagination if you talk about it…" he said as he looked into feral emerald eyes.

He was trapped. He would one way or another hurt his father. One way or another. But he would be damned to the depths of hell before he spoke it. "If you want to know so bad…read my book…I'm not going to say anything." With that stubborn remark, Harry's trunk lid banged open, and a small, thick, and black book flew out and came hurtling towards Godric.

Only his fighting reflexes saved him from treating a broken nose caused by a book. After he caught it, he looked dubiously at it. "Why?" he asked.

"Read it." His son hissed. "I'll be damned to hell before I talk of it!" he snarled and blocked out his father.

With a sigh he took the book and gently laid a hand on Harry's shoulder. "If you need anything, ring the bell. Either me or a house elf will come see to your needs." He said softly as he left to his study to read this book that was his son's life story.

6H6H6H6H6

Six hours later, Godric stared in shock at the content of the book. He had seen all the pages, and read and examined them to their fullest. To say he was disturbed would be the understatement of the millennium. He had found out why in that book, why Harry always fell…it was not pleasant reading about that, and he was surprised Harry was still alive.

**Journal entry**

**great…now to add to all my other miseries of life, I have just been crippled…Vernon-I have no idea when I stopped calling him uncle- has just ruined my right leg…I have no idea, when he got so good at anatomy, but he managed to cut the tendon in my leg in half…now I'll never be able to walk properly…not to worried about that though…I'll probably die of blood loss before morning…I can't stay awake anymore…I might draw in the morning…**

**Next entry**

_WARNING! This is a little graphic and borders on thoughts of suicide…nothing important…skip if you want to._

**Great…still alive…oh joy…I bet some sick god out there is laughing their ass off about my situation. I just want to die. Is that so much to ask? I'm half-way tempted to rip out the vein that I can see from Vernon's job yesterday…I'll die from blood loss…not a bad fate…hehe…Moldy-Voldie…here are two muggles…able to do something you always wanted to do to a Potter…break them, torture them, and then kill them…send your praise to them Voldie…I'm sure they'll be the next dark lords! Oh yay…good night…Vernon just finished raping me…now I'm a whore…what else is going to be on my list? I just want to die…I'd take Voldie over them…I want to die……**

**End journal**

Godric had been forced to empty his stomach after that. He was stunned and angered beyond words. His son was a cripple…and he almost killed himself! "My poor son…if only I had known sooner…" he whispered with despair. He then got up, and headed out the door to return Harry's book to him. When he got to the room, he opened the door and found Harry on the floor, looking like he had been there a while. "Harry!" Godric cried out in surprise.

"Oh…hello…" Harry said, looking up from where he had been staring out in space. "What are you doing here?" he asked.

"To bring you your book back. And now, toask why you are on the floor." He said as he picked his son off the floor and set him on the bed.

"I'm sorry about the fit I threw earlier. You were just wanting to help. And I do feel better now that someone else knows." he said softly.

"Yes well, your apology is accepted. Now why were you on the floor?" he asked

"Oh…erm…well you see, I was trying to find a cane or walking stick in the wardrobe over there, so I could look around." Harry said as he looked hopefully at his father.

"Oh. Why didn't you just use the bell? Well no matter, let me see. What do you want it to look like? Designs, color, wood type, height. Everything." He said as he took a wand out.

With bright eyes, Harry described the cane he wanted. "Hard seasoned mahogany, like a warrior's staff! I want it about three and a half feet high and able to channel magic, being as I wont be able to use my wand while holding it. With a phoenix head as the pommel, and the beak will be where the spells would come out from the core. And all down it, I want the body of the phoenix to be carved and filled in with…ruby and onyx…" he said with a faraway look. He quickly snapped back to attention and looked at his father and said, "If that's not to much," he said softly.

Godric smiled at the mental image of the cane in his mind. "Not to much at all. I thought you would go for something more…difficul." he said with a light laugh as he started to weave the spell with words of Latin. A few minuets later, a cane just like the one Harry described appeared.

"Thank-you." Harry said as he grabbed his father in a hug.

"Your welcome…" he said with a pleasant smile. "You do realize, we are going to have to train you…" he said with a raised brow at Harry.

"Of course! Wouldn't have it any other way…lead me away!" he retorted with a grin as he hobbled to the door on his new magical cane out the door.


	4. I Am

**_Disclaimer:_**nothing…just as before…I own nothing…

When there's nothing left, you will save me

I am the music playing

I am the one obeying

I am the thunder roaring

I am the rain that's pouring

I am the sun still shining

I am the child who's whining

I am hope staying alive

I am the path you strive

I am the ghosts behind your eyes

I am the screams inside your cries

I am the thoughts you dare think

I am the poison you will drink

I am the many words you write

I am the child you kiss goodnight

I am the truth you always seek

I am the strong

I am the weak

I am secrets never told

I am all the dreams you've ever sold

I am truth inside your lies

I am life until it dies

I am the red rose blooming

I am darkness all consuming

I am the past you fear

I am every falling tear

I am the fever burning

I am the body yearning

I am the one who's killing

I am the one who's willing

I am your suffering

I am death lingering

I am faith forever lost

I am winter's early frost

I am the silence lacking sound

I am darkness all around

I am the one who survives

I am the teller of our lives

By: Anonymous

When Harry disappeared from number four Private Drive the wards flew off the handle the next afternoon when he had been gone for exactly 20 hours. Immediately, the whole Order was there with wands drawn. Expecting trouble, they just about shot the Dursleys down when the family came out of the house to go to the car. Seeing the street full of wizards with drawn wands, with a roar Vernon pulled his family back into the house and the Order surged forward to the house.

"What are those freaks doing here!" Petunia screeched. "Why are they here! Just because of the brat probably!" she was now rambling and was peering out the windows.

Vernon went to the door and bellowed out angrily at the wizards, "What do you want you freaks?"

At being called freaks a lot of the witches and wizards scowled, but Albus Dumbledore went to the front door to try to talk peaceably with Vernon. "We just wish to know why Harry isn't in the house. Only some one who the wards are tuned to can remove him…" he said, worry in his voice.

With a purpling face, Vernon spat back out, "He left last night. One of you freaks took him. Good riddance I say!" Vernon yelled angrily.

With a frown at Vernon's manor and lack of concern for Harry, he asked if he could see the house for signs of struggle or capture. When this was asked, Vernon's face looked quite alarmed. But he moved out of the way none-the-less for the venerable headmaster. "Very well, don't break anything!" he barked knowing it was useless to argue.

"Never crossed my mind." Albus mumbled thoughtfully as he crossed the thresh hold and walked into the house. When he got in the door, he stopped short in his tracks and was in shock to find a powerful magic residue, not to mention the sign of violence and what looked to be a struggle. "What happened?" he asked calmly, smothering his alarm as he gazed about the front hall.

"The boy," was all Vernon said as he turned to leave. "We'll be going now. You've seen the house. Now out!" he spat with distaste.

"You're lying," Albus said with a scowl wrinkling his brow even further. He grabbed the Dursleys and went out to the street and then port-keyed back to Hogwarts to investigate further.

3H3H3H3H3H3H3H3H

Three hours and one bottle of Vertiserum later, Albus Dumbledore along with the new Minister of Magic, Arthur Weasley, knew the whole story about what happened to Harry. With horror and guilt on their faces, they made the decision and threw the Dursleys in Azkaban for life. "I'll take them right away." Arthur said before he flooed away to the fortress with three new guests.

"What have I done?" Headmaster Albus Dumbledore asked an empty room as he stared into the distance. "I have made the biggest mistake of my life. He always asked not to be sent back. But I always made him go. I knew they didn't exactly get along. But I never though," he whispered as he gazed at his desk. "I'm sorry my boy."

5Y5Y5Y5Y5Y5Y

Five years later, a twenty-to year old walked out of the doors of a study, with a bounce in his step that spoke of great happiness. 'Finally! I get to see them after all this time!' he thought as he let out a shout of happiness and did a small jump in the hall. 'They probably think I'm dead and rotting somewhere…what a surprise they'll be in for.' he thought snickering slightly as he got ready to go. 'I hope they aren't to mad,' the once boy now man, Harry Potter thought as he disappeared with a faint pop to reappear thousands of years in the future.

The same young man appeared right outside of the Hogwarts main gates. With a grin, he swung the gates opened and strode up to the front steps, and knocked. He stood there for about five seconds when the doors slammed open with enough force and anger behind it that it made Harry wince as he imagined the state of the person behind the door. What made him stare in shock from beneath his cloak was that it was Servus Snape, looking madder than hell's demons his robes covered in lilac colored liquid, smelling of roses. Harry knew right then that Snape had been working on a potion, and his knock on the door had disturbed him.

"I probably came at a bad time," he mumbled as he prepared himself for the storm that was sure to come.

Servus Snape, formidable potions master at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, was having an ok day by normal standards. He was in his dungeons working on one of his prized potions, when Albus popped out of the fireplace. With a scowl to cover his surprise, he irritably asked, "What do you want now Albus?"

With twinkling eyes he responded kindly, "I will be out for the day. I need you to watch the castle for me." He said pleasantly.

With a sigh, knowing it would be useless to argue, Servus gave in to him with a nod. "Very well Albus. But, the castle can probably watch itself better than I can." He said with a raised brow to the elder man.

"True. So true that is my boy. Well now! I really must be off! Have a nice day!" with that, the disappeared old man disappeared back into the fire.

Shaking his head, he headed back to his potion. About an hour later, he was lifting the cauldron off the fire when Peeves came flying into the room dropping a dung bomb in his potion-which resulted in lilac potion covering Servus- and started cackling about there being a visitor outside the front door. Hissing out a body bind curse on the poltergeist, he stormed out of the dungeons and threw the door open to find himself facing a cloaked man who almost seemed to wince.

"I probably came at a bad time," the man mumbled.

"How may I help you?" Severus managed to ground out from between his clenched teeth.

"I was here to see the headmaster," he said after a short pause of surprise. "Is he here?" he asked the furious man.

"No. Regrettably he will be out the rest of the day." He snapped. "If it is important that you see him, you may come in and stay until he returns." He ordered curtly and stood back from the door.

With a smile that was shadowed by his cloak, Harry stepped into the hall and looked around with a fond smile of remembrance. Almost as if the castle recognized him, everything brightened and Fawks came soaring from the staircase. "Fawks. Good to see you. I see you haven't changed at all." He whispered softly.

Severus was startled at the reaction the castle had. Usually, it only had that response when the students came back each year, or the teachers. And Fawks had even come! "Who are you?" he questioned with a guarded voice.

Deciding to begin his fun with the grouchy potion master, he smirked. "Why, I'm surprised you forgot me already!" he exclaimed with great fake hurt in his voice.

Growling, he demanded of the oddly cloaked figure with a cane that seemed to hold no purpose, "What are you talking about?" he demanded.

With a smirk, he mimicked a phrase that had been spat at him in sixth year, "You nasty little brat! Always getting pampered and treated like royalty. You will not use your fame as a buffer around me!'" he hissed with perfect mimicry, as he watched the color drain from Severus's sallow cheeks.

"Who are you?" he asked as he drew his wand. "Only Potter and Albus know I said that," he shakily snapped.

With a smile, he drew the hood off of his face. Smiling widely at his ex-professor's face, he said, "Why, it's just me. Famous little Potter come home for a reunion." He happily, chirped, as there is no other word for it.

"Potter," he whispered as he took a step forward, wand still out and checking him for authenticity. "You were killed. Albus told me your relatives were the death of you in some way." he whispered.

"They just about did kill me, but my father saved me." he said with a sudden grin. "I know you have questions but go collect Hermione, all the Weasleys, and Dumbledore please. I will only tell my tale once, myself at least." he chuckled as for once, Snape went and did as he told him, leaving Harry Potter standing in the Great Hall.

1H1H1H1H1H1H1H1H1

An hour later, Snape had collected everyone together and after many tears and welcome backs, all were waiting for Harry to begin.

Taking a deep breath, he began.

He told them of his torment at the Dursley's hands and of the torment he put himself through for so many people dying. He went into a little depth about the abuses put upon him, drawing gasps from all and tears from many. Especially when he told of his leg and the purpose for the cane.

He then told of his rescuer and the story behind James and Godric, drawing gasps from everyone in the room.

Finally he told of his five years of training. He whispered of elves that had trained him to commune with the trees, water, and air; of dwarves that taught him their coveted knowledge of the rock and metals that littered the world and how to work them to his uses. Of assassins caught, and for penance, taught him. Finally, he spoke of an ancient man who had taught him to walk and fight like the cane was useless and made it look like a decoration. Also he told of how it held his wand.

When he was done he was quite tired and thirsty. Almost as reading his thoughts, Albus handed him a goblet of pumpkin juice. Smiling in appreciation, he downed it in one gulp and looked around at the amazed faces. "Well?" he asked with a smile.

"Oh Harry," was all Hermione was able to say as she grabbed him in a hug. "I've missed you." she whispered to him.

Ron came from behind as did the others and clapped him on the back. "We all have mate. Things haven't been the same since you left." Ron whispered with teary eyes.

Everyone pulled back at a small sound from Servus, a few scowled at him and he glared right back but soon turned his attention to Harry. "Show me what you can do without the cane. I may be able to brew a potion to help." Was all he offered as an explanation.

With a slight grimace at having to show such a blatant weakness, he took his cloak off to show a dark blue tunic, black pants, and black boots. Placing his cane aside he heaved himself from his chair amongst baited breath and pushed away from it. He stood for about three seconds and tried to walk forward. Then went down with a yelp he went down, grabbing for the chair. No one was able to move fast enough to catch him, and he crashed down to the ground. With a sheepish look, he managed to clamber back on the chair, shooing off many hands wanting to help. "Well?" he questioned.

With a thoughtful look, "Show me your leg."

With a sigh and shake of his head, he pulled hi boot off, and took his stocking off and showed the potion master the scarred back of his right leg. "Well?" he asked once more.

With a frown, the potion master bent to the floor and prodded at the calf of his leg and the back of the knee. Totally lacking even a twitch of reflex, he straightened and looked Harry in the eye, breathing a sigh and evidently steeling him for something. "I'm, sorry, I put you through that embarrassment. There is nothing I or Poppy can do."

With a small smile, Harry pulled his boot back on and looked at Servus. "I gave up years ago. I appreciate your effort though." he said with a smile.

"Harry?" a small voice asked looking at him. It was Hermione.

"Yes?" he asked with, redirecting his smile to her.

"How long can you stay?" she asked softly.

"I can stay however long I want. I just have to visit father on the weekends." He said with a laugh.

"Then perhaps," Albus said with a twinkle in his blue eyes, "You would like to take the position of DADA professor this year?" he queried with a knowing grin.

"Of course. Why ever not?" Harry said as they sat in Albus Dumbledore's office the rest of the night reacquainting themselves with each other, looking forward to the many years of friendship ahead of them.

I'm back, and not going to leave permanently anytime soon.'

The End


End file.
